"The decision of the Likud party to impose Israeli control over the occupied West Bank represents an end to the remnants of the peace process," said Fatah, which is headed by Palestinian Authority (PA) chairman Mahmoud Abbas.

The Hamas terrorist organization, which controls Gaza, condemned the Likud’s move as well, saying it was a "radicalization of the policy of aggression against the Palestinian people, taking advantage of American positions, including Trump's dangerous declaration" – a reference to U.S. President Donald Trump’s recent recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital.

The group further warned that the move would “lead to more resistance”, according to Yediot Aharonot.

Some 1,500 members of the Likud Central Committee voted unanimously earlier on Sunday night in favor of a proposal to extend Israeli sovereignty over Judea and Samaria.

At a special party meeting at the Avenue Conference Center near Ben Gurion Airport in central Israel, roughly half of the party’s central committee members gathered to debate the first major change to the Likud platform since 2005 which was pushed by popular demand, rather than the party chairman.

The meeting was called after 900 members of the central committee signed a petition calling for a debate and vote on the proposal.

While symbolically important, the change to the party’s platform does not directly affect the policies of the ruling Likud faction.

Activists from Israel’s Sovereignty Movement praised the Likud following the move, saying it was an important step towards the movement’s goal of extending Israeli sovereignty over all of Judea and Samaria.